ἱππικός (hippikos)
hippikos
horseman
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective hippikos describes anything related to horses or horsemen, functioning as an equestrian term in the New Testament. It appears only once, in Hebrews 9:16, where it modifies the word for "army" or "host." The context refers to a military force composed of cavalry, highlighting the mounted soldiers rather than the foot infantry.
This usage draws directly from its root, hippos, meaning horse. In ancient warfare, cavalry represented a distinct and powerful branch of the army, often associated with speed and shock value. By specifying this type of troop, the text emphasizes the organized, martial nature of the heavenly host described in the passage.
Translators typically render this as "cavalry" or "horsemen" to capture the specific military imagery. The term serves to ground the spiritual metaphor in a concrete historical reality familiar to first-century readers, illustrating the scale and power of divine forces without ambiguity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hippikos points to the mounted soldiers of ancient armies, bringing a sense of speed and power to the text. In Revelation 9:16, it describes a vast cavalry force numbering two hundred million. This imagery helps us grasp the sheer scale of spiritual realities that lie beyond our everyday sight.
When we encounter such descriptions, we are reminded that God’s purposes move with purpose and strength. The image of horsemen does not just describe soldiers; it reflects the organized might behind divine action. We can trust that the forces at work in history are under His control.
This specific term grounds our faith in a concrete reality. It shows that the spiritual world is not vague or distant but active and present. As we read these passages, we find comfort in knowing that no force is beyond His reach or order.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- cavalry [was]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἱππικοῦ1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 9:16
The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them.
This verse uses the term to quantify a massive cavalry force, emphasizing the immense scale and organized power of the spiritual entities described in this vision.